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1. e4 c6 2. Bc4 d5
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Every time I look at a Hillbilly attack game, I see it backfiring against those who try it. Except maybe in bullet, when played by an IM, feels like the Black side always get some kind of a small advantage from the opening. Of course for our little levels, nothing is given, we make too many mistakes even when we play an opening for years, and I don't know this one yet, so it was exciting to try against a higher rated player than myself and learn what happens here. |
 
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3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bb3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. h3 e5
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There are several ways to play this step up, but I don't feel confident about any, so I figure holding the center might work out. |
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7. d3 Bd6
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As Jeremy Silman might say, holding the center is a responsibility, and I take it seriously, reinforcing it as much as I can. |
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8. Bg5 Be6 9. Nbd2 O-O 10. O-O h6 11. Bh4 Na5
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On the one hand the bishop is not doing too much here. On the other hands, every time I saw a tactical opportunity in Hillbilly attack games, it was after the white light square bishop was traded. Coincidence or not, I don't have a great plan at the moment, so, might as well try it. |
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12. c4 dxc4 13. dxc4 g5 14. Bg3 Nxb3 15. Qxb3 Qc7 16. Rac1 e4
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I am not feeling very comfortable here, with my king side sadly exposed. And I feel I missed a tactical opportunity earlier, when the white queen was still undeveloped. So now I am trying to relieve potential pressure on the kingside by trading some pieces, especially the dangerous dark squared bishop. |
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17. Nd4
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I miscalculated here as I began to feel the pressure. I imagined this variation be safer than it really was a few moves ago. |
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17... Bxg3
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I expected my opponent to recapture the bishop first, presumably with his queen, so that when the queens are traded and the pawn has to capture, the damaged pawn structure cannot be targetted as easily. After that, my winning chances are probably diminished, just hoping to get a draw. |
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18. Nxe6
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My opponent does an in between move instead. I love in between moves myself, they are an awesome resource that saves a desperate situation and makes it plausible. But in this game, through my own in between move, I have a very tiny advantage. |
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18... Bh2+ 19. Kh1 fxe6
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I do not expect to save my bishop. It would be blocked by the pawn. But then, I should be able to sell it dear, while ruining the protective cover of the king. |
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20. g3 Rad8
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Though I could use my bishop now, I notice a different opportunity, to temporarily counter attack the knight. The knight's squares are mostly taken by the white's own pieces, and by my advanced pawn. Of course it can be defended, but bring the rook in to defend it is a useful distraction. I get to mobilize my pieces while maintaining the threat. And when I cannot maintain the threat any longer(I expected the knight would go eventually to f1 after the rook there vacatedd its position) I go back to selling my own bishop dearly, bringing my remaining pieces to bear on f2/g3 squares. |
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21. Rfd1 Rd3
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I was very happy to find this threat. Of course the queen moves away, but now my rook is actually pointing at g3, so when the bishop sacrifices itself, interesting piece coordination is possible, between rook on d3, my queen, and hopefully my knight jumps away to g4, after the rook captures the h3 pawn with a check. |
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22. Rc3
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On the one hand, white wisely defends the queen while at the same time protecting the vital g3 square. On the other hand, time to increase the pressure on the knight, while fully controlling the d file with my rooks. |
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22... Rfd8
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I expected the queen moving to c3, defending the knight, then I sacrifice my bishop, get the 2 pawns, trade the first couple of rooks, replace the first rook with the other rook. About even material, but maybe the exposed king giving me a mild chance to explore. |
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23. Kxh2
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Well, I don't get to sacrifice my bishop, so plan b, taking the knight from this position, preserves my spare piece and no tactics in return is currently available. Off to a good start. |
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23... Rd3xd2 24. Rxd2 Rxd2 25. Kg2 g4
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Two of my pieces are active, but my knight is not doing anything. Here is to hoping to activate it with a pawn move. |
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26. h4
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Of course my opponent declines. Did not expect anything else, but don't think the attempt cost me too much. |
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26... e3
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Another subtle moment I had to make a choice about. I was thinking of my queen controlling the light squares, but bringing it and setting up a discovered check would be too obvious, and thus easily blocked with a preemptive rook move. Sacrifice the pawn instead opens the diagonal, without any possibility of block the next check by the queen. |
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27. Rxe3 Qc6+
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The thing is that my advanced pawn I was going to use to activate the knight, prevents all attempts of protecting from the check, makign the light squares super volnurable, without the light squared bishop guarding them.[It doesn't happen every time like that, but when both players survive long enough, something always does happen, because the bishop is not there to do its duty.] |
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28. Kg1 Ne4
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There are no obvious targets here, or at least no significant targets. But seemingly the f2 pawn can no longer be defended. In truth I contemplated the knight getting to g3, even sacrificing a rook, should the white peices move away from their guard duty, but I figured, as pretty as it was, such a combination was unlikely to go undetected by my opponent. |
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29. Rd3
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I considered many moves for my opponent and could not find any great ones myself. The best one seemed to be the forced trade of queens, but even it led to some advantage because of the weakness of the light squares and my knight and rook either close enough to deliver a famous mate, after some precautionary measures with pawns, or else strong enough to secure the g pawn from threatening to promote itself. For this specific variation, that I also considered, I really wanted to try the knight:g3, if the rook is taken its a mate, but of course, the rook doesn't have to be taken. All kinds of complexities, maybe winning. But then it occurred to me. Can be simpler. A fork is still possible even now, and then, the queen can actually be blocked from delivering any perpetuals. Now that was of course the clear choice now. |
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